Amusement device



Dec. 6, 1938. H.- c. I-IUBUBARD ET AL- Q 2,138,859

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed April 27, 1934 J3 28 53 J2 a2 Ill/L I makings 0 6'. Doe/2Z9 Hohore Cf/Jubbaid ATTQIQNEYS Patented Dec. 6, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AMUSEMENT DEVICE Application April 27, 1934, Serial No. 722,628

2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to amusement devices of the type in which balls are rolled onto the upper portion of an inclined playing surface and allowed to gravitate downwardly into different scoring pockets.

One object is to provide a novel arrangement of guideways in a game of the above general character by which the balls rolling past or discharged from the pockets may be returned to the ball-projecting means and used over again in the play without tilting the playing surface and without danger of clogging of the guideways.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a game embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of mounting the pockets of the game shown in Fig. 1.

Figs. 4 and 6 are similar views showing modified forms of the pockets.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of a modified form of pocket.

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawing, the invention includes a series of pockets I0 upstanding from and opening upwardly along an inclined playing surface II and each adapted to receive balls l2 gravitating down said surface along diiferent laterally spaced paths of widths several times as great as the balls but to retain only one ball therein whereby the succeeding balls are deflected onto the surface and continue to roll down the latter. The pockets are irregularly spaced laterally and longitudinally of the playing surface to represent different holes of a golf course, each pocket, when filled, serving as a hazard in the playing of the remaining holes. The balls, which are stored in a single row, may be withdrawn one by one and projected onto the upper part of the surface by manipulation of a projecting device 13 located near the lower end and adjacent one side of the surface. An elongated guide sloping to the projecting means serves to direct the balls which pass all of the pockets back to the projecting means so that these balls may be used over again in the play without'tilting the playing surface or otherwise disturbing the balls that may already be retained in the dilferent pockets. In this way, the play may continue until all of the pockets are filled, the number of balls projected onto the playing surface determining the score made. Or, the score may be determined by which of the pockets are filled in the projection of an allotted number of balls.

The playing surface I l is defined by a flat and substantially rigid plate or board of suitable material which during the play is maintained in any preferred manner at the inclination required to cause the balls to roll down the playing surface at the desired rate. the sides by parallel walls I4 and I5 which merge at their upper ends with a curved substantially semi-circular wall [6 by which a ball is deflected laterally of the playing surface and from which the ball gravitates after losing its momentumai The balls are projected along a channel ll defined by the side wall l4 and an upstanding partition I! although the latter may be omitted by spacing the plunger properly relative to the wall M as will appear later. i

In order to reduce to the desired degree the skill required to shoot a ball into a particular one of the pockets, the upper open ends of most of the pockets are of a width several times as great as the ball diameter and the sides IQ of the pockets converge intermediate their ends to a width slightly greater than the ball diameter. A ball rolling into the pocket is thus guided toward the closed lower end portion l8 of the pocket which is shaped to retain one ball. In order that one.

ball only will be retained in each of the pockets, one or both side walls are formed with passages 20 of a width slightly greater than the diameter of the ball and so located with respect to the closed end of the pocket that the second and;- each succeeding ball rolling into the pocket will be deflected laterally through one of the passages 20. Tothis end, the end portions l8 of the pockets shown in Fig. 1 are substantially semi-circular in shape and of a diameter approximately equal to the balls so that the upper part of the ball retained therein projects above the edges of the portion l8 and engages the next ball to deflect it laterally without danger of the ball being caught between the retained ball end of the lower defining edges of the passage 20. After passing through the opening 20, the ball is free to roll on down the playing surface.

In the form shown'in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, the pockets are formed from one or more strips of' sheet metal arranged in V-shape on the board and secured thereto as by prongs 2| projected into the board ll. If desired, each pocket may be formed as one piece as shown in Fig. 4 having recesses cut therein todefine theopenings 20. Or I The surface is bounded at 10 as shown in Fig. 5, the pocket may be formed in two parts and only one opening 20 provided. In such a case, the closed side wall is bulged inwardly toward the opening 20 in the opposite wall so that the second ball coming into the pocket will be held over-center with respect to the retained ball and thus will be induced positively to roll through the opening 2%]. Accidental lodging of a ball between the continuous side wall and the ball retained in the pocket is thus avoided.

To conserve space in a direction laterally of the playing surface, two of the pockets may be placed side by side without decreasing the skill required to roll a ball into a particular one of the pockets. Space may also be conserved by shortening the pocket and arranging the same to receive the first ball discharged from an opening of another pocket. Thus, by employing a pocket H1 corresponding in size to the closed end portions l8 of the other pockets and locating the same a short distance beneath and midway between the adjacent opening 20 of the two uppermost pockets, a ball discharged from either of these openings will be caught in the pocket Hi. In this way, the guide surfaces [9 for the two upper pockets in effect constitute guides for directing the balls toward the pocket I0 Of course, the upper ends of the pocket W would be spaced from the associated pockets H] a distance sufficient to provide lateral passages 211 through which a ball rolling toward the pocketwill be deflected when the latter is already filled.

In order to insure that a ball rolling into one of the upper pockets when the latter is filled will be deflected to the pocket ID, the portions l8 of the two upper pockets may be offset outwardly as shown in Fig. 1 relative'to the openings between the lower ends of the guide walls I9 leading to these portions. Thus, when either pocket is full, the next ball rolling therein will strike the retained ball over-center in the direction of the pocket l0 and thus will always be deflected into the latter pocket. If desired, the portions l8 of each pocket may be thus offset with respect to the guide walls for the purpose of preventing one ball from striking exactly on the vertical center line of the retained ball and there becoming lodged.

If desired, each pocket and the guide walls may be defined by pieces cast, molded, embossed from sheet metal or otherwise formed so as to be raised above the playing surface and have an irregular external outline simulating a golf green as shown in Fig. 6. When the pockets are thus formed, the giude walls l9 may be of any desired shape, one of them preferably merging with one side wall of the pocket thereby eliminating one of the passages 20. The other guide wall is formed substantially in line with the other side wall of the pocket and spaced therefrom so as to define the passage of proper width. The upper ends of the guide walls may be disposed at various angles but preferably their lower end portions extend approximately parallel to each other so as to minimize the possibility of the first ball being deflected accidentally through the passage 20.

The pockets constructed in any of the ways above described are placed within areas 23 irregularly spaced both laterally and longitudinally of the playing surface so as to simulate the usual nine greens of a golf course which may be numbered in any preferred manner and represented by appropriate background designs on the playing surface. The greens are so located that each of the holes may be made by directing a ball along one or more predetermined paths. The paths may extend from the curved wall I6 in the direction of projection of the ball therearound or a ball may leave the wall after rebounding from a deflector or bumper 22 which may be a metal peg upstanding from the surface ll adjacent the junction of the walls I5 and I6 and preferably spaced from the adjacent wall a distance slightly greater than the diameter of the balls.

As shown in Fig. 1, one pocket is placed near the lower part of the playing surface proper adjacent the channel I1 and thus may be made by a short shot with the ball leaving the wall l6 adjacent the junction with the wall 14. The hole represented by the pocket numbered 2 is located to the left and above the first pocket to receive balls leaving the wall [6 farther up along the latter but preferably so spaced that the deflected balls will not roll into the pockets numbered I and 9. The pockets representing holes 3 and 4 are preferably located approximately in the center and near the top of the playing surface but are spaced from the wall a distance such as to receive balls rolling off from a substantial length of the wall l6 either directly from the channel ll or after rebounding from the bumper 22. A ball rolling along these same paths may be deflected into'the number 5 pocket depending on which direction it moves after engaging the retained ball in one of the pockets 3 and 4. By properly spacing the two upper pockets from the wall Hi, the pockets numbered I and 2 may also be made by rebound shots. Green number 6 is positioned just below and to the right of the deflecter 5 22 so that it may be made by a direct shot or by a very light rebound from the deflector.

Green number I is positioned near the lower end of the playing surface proper so that the hole may be made by a short rebound from the bumper 22 but preferably spaced relative to the pocket 6 so that a ball deflected from the latter will miss the pocket 7. The pockets 8 and 9 are located in the lower part of the playing surface approximately centrally thereof to receive balls rebounding from the bumper 22 and rolling between the pockets 4' and B. The pockets may also be made by direct shots between the pockets 2 and 3 although balls deflected from the former will normally miss the pockets 8 and 9.

By arranging the pockets as above' described, the space laterally of the playing surface is effectually conserved enabling nine pockets corresponding to the customary holes of a golf course to be provided on a board of the width commonly employed for games of the present type. Owing to the relatively wide openings in the pockets, it will be apparent that little skill is required to 'make a hole at the beginning of the play when all of the holes are empty although considerable skill in projection of the ball is required to make a particular hole. Thus, as the pockets become filled, an increased degree of skill is required to a make the remaining holes inasmuch as the filled pockets serve as hazards. Therefore, while the game is primarily one of skill, an element of chance is involved especially at the start of the play thereby adding to the interest of the game.

In the present instance, the ball-projecting device I3, in the game shown in Fig. 1, is in the form of a plunger arranged to reciprocate longitudinally of the channel l1. Herein the plunger constitutes one leg of a U-shape piece of wire having a bight or handle 25 projecting beyond the lower end of the board II and its other leg 26 extendingsalong the undersideof the board and suitably guided as .by spaced staples .21 driven into the board. To locate the plunger laterally of the channel I1; the leg l3 of the wire is guided in a hole in a framemember'ZB extending across. the lower end of the board. The upperstaple 27 may also constitute a stop for engaging a bent end 29 of the leg 26 and-thereby determining a limit position to which the plunger may be retracted. An elastic contractile element such as a rubber band 30 is stretched "between the bent end 29 and a pin 3| so as to act in tension to urge the plunger upwardly until a cushioned shoulder 32 thereon engages the frame member 28.

Preferably, though not necessarily, the plunger I3 is positioned from-the adjacent side wall [4 of the channel a distance greater than the radius of the balls (see Fig. l) The narrow upper end of the plunger thus engages the ball over-center and in itsupward movement urges the ball against the wall M; The ball is thus projected along the wall M- and bouncing thereof back and forth as it travels along the channel I"! is avoided effectually thereby enabling a ball to be rolled with greater accuracy onto the desired part of the playing surface. With the plunger thus positioned, all or part of the guide wall Il may be omitted if desired.

Balls are delivered to projecting position automatically as an incident to retraction of the plunger and for this purpose the balls are retained in a chute which is inclined downwardly and laterally from the playing surface and intersects the channel substantially below the position normally occupied by the upper end of the plunger when released to shoot the ball. Preferably, the chute extends along the playing surface and isdefined by an upstanding side wall 33 which is inclined upwardly and laterally from a point closely adjacent the plunger. If desired, this wall may be extended to the wall l4 so as to form an additional guide for the plunger. In order to facilitate maintenance of the balls in a single row for the purpose of indicating the score as will appear later, a wall 34 extends parallel to the wall 33 and is spaced therefrom a distance slightly greater than the diameter of the balls.

The balls which are retained in a row along the wall 33 tend to gravitate into the channel I! but are blocked by the plunger until the upper end of the latter has been retracted below the end of the wall 33. One ball then rolls into the channel above the plunger and serves to block the remaining balls by virtue of its engagement with the wall l4 and with the plunger, the movement of which is limited by the uppermost staple 21 to a position in which the ball is in line with the remaining balls. Now as the plunger is moved upwardly to adjust the tension in the element 3!! for projection of the ball at the desired speed, the ball is carried upwardly along the channel I! and the plunger again closes off the ball chute. When the plunger is properly positioned for the shot, the handle 25 is released. It will be observed that the tension element 30 is so constructed or adjusted that the upper end of the plunger, when the latter is positioned for projection of a ball at the maximum speed required to make any of the pockets, will always be disposed so as to hold the ball above the open end of the storage chute. In this way, the remaining balls will not block the ball in its projection or otherwise interfere with the sensitive control of the plunger by the operator. By employing a resilient element disposed outside of the channel II, it will be observed that the plunger may have a long range of movement and friction on the latterwill be reduced to a minimum thereby enabling the shots to be made with a high degree of accuracy.

In order that the number of plays may exceed the number of balls provided, provision is made for enabling the played balls to be used over again as many times as may be desired. To this end, the ball-storage chute is disposed as above described on the same side of the channel I! as the playing surface and adapted for communication with the entire playing surface so that balls gravitating from any portion thereof will or may be allowed to return to the chute. To accomplish this and at the same time maintain the balls in the chute in a single row, guide wa-l1s'35 and 36 upstanding from the playing surface converge toward the open upper end of the chute which, with the number of balls used herein, is disposed substantially equidistant from both boundaries of the playing surface. The wall 35 constitutes an extension of the wall 33 and serves to deflect the balls gravitating from the left side of the surface. On the right side, the balls roll against a wall 36 which is inclined downwardly and to the left. It will be observed that a ball passing all of the pockets will be deflected by the guides and continue to roll by gravity into the storage chute and then into the channel I! when permitted by retraction of the plunger.

Owing to the location of the ball storage chute and the playing field on the same side of the channel. l'l, it will be apparent that the overall length of the game board has been reduced to a minimum through the use of an elastic tension element which is located outside of the plunger channel. This is for the reason that such an element requires no additional space longitudinally of the board; consequently, the lower end of the chute need be spaced above the lower end of the board a distance only suflicient to guide the plunger properly.

Means is provided for automatically indicating the players score, that is. the number of .j

balls which have been withdrawn from the chute and projected onto the playing surface. In the game shown in Fig. 1, this function is performed by a scale 3! of legends extending along the ball-storage chute and numbering the balls in the chute at the start of the play preferably beginning with the uppermost ball. For example, if twenty balls are provided as illustrated therein, there would be balls opposite each of the numbers on the scale 31 at the start of the play, the upper and lowermost balls being numbered 1 .and 20 respectively. Now as the plunger is retracted to allow the lowermost ball to roll into the channel l1, all of the balls will roll down the chute one space so that the uppermost ball will then be positioned opposite the number 2 on the scale. Thus, the number on the scale next above the uppermost ball in the chute will indicate the number of shots which have been taken.

The halls passing into the pockets are maintained separate from the balls in the storage chute and thus prevented from rolling back into the chute and destroying the score indication until all of the balls have been Withdrawn. For this purpose, the flow of balls from the playing surface into the storage chute is governed by a manually operable gate or valve which, in the present instance, is in the form of a peg retained in a hole drilled in the board. By withdrawing the peg, the balls accumulating at the intersection of the guide walls 35 and 36 are allowed to roll into the storage chute. In this "described and shown in Fig. 1, all of the pockets are first cleared of balls which may be accomplished by raising the lower end of the board to cause the balls to roll out the pockets. Then by tilting the board. laterally and again downwardly, the balls may be caused to roll around the pockets and into the storage chute, the stop pin 38 having been removed. With the board mounted at the proper inclination, play is started by manipulation of the plunger so as to project the balls at the proper speed for causing them to roll into the pockets either directly or by rebounding from the bumper 22. At the beginning of the play when all of the pockets are empty, but as the pockets become filled, it is necessary to dry to make particular pockets with the result that more skill is required, it being most difficult to make the last pocket.

When all of the pockets have been filled, the player's score is determined by the number of shots which he has taken, that is, the number of balls which have been projected onto the playing surface. If the number of shots required is less than the number of balls available or the capacity of the scale 31, the players score may be read directly. But where a greater number of shots are required, it is necessary to remove the peg 38 and allow the balls which have accumulated above the peg to roll into the chute. The number of balls thus returned may be determined quickly by noting the reading on the scale and subtracting this from twenty.

The game may also be played by allotting a predetermined number of balls only to the player, the score being indicated by the number of pockets filled by shooting the allotted number of balls. Playing of the game in this way is facilitated by the use of the valve member 38 for enabling the desired number of balls to be trapped in the ball storage chute.

We claim as our invention:

1. A game board having, in combination, an

inclined playing surface, a ball guideway along one side thereof communicating with the upper part of the surface, an elongated multiple ball storage chute on the same side of said guideway as said surface and communicating at opposite ends with the lower portions of said guideway and playing surface and extending laterally along the latter at an angle such'that balls received from said surface will gravitate automatically through said chute into said guideway, said chute retaining balls in a single rowwhereby to avoid blocking the passage to said guideway, and inclined guide walls upstanding from said surface and converging laterally of the surface to the mouth of said chute.

2. In a game apparatus, an inclined playing board having a ball runway at one side thereof, for guiding balls onto the upper portion of the same, a ball-propelling device arranged in the lower end portion of the said ball runway for propelling balls up the latter and onto the upper-i portion of the said inclined playing board so that they may. gravitate over the latter, said inclined playing board having a second ball runway on the upper surface thereof for directing spent or played balls from the lower portion of the said inclined playing board into the lower end portion of the said first-named ball runway, said second-named ball runway extending from the lower portion of the said inclined playing board toward that side of the same at which EARL G. DAVIS. HONORE C. HUBBARD. 

